Into the Unknown
by ExtravagantRain
Summary: Ilanya of the Boreal Valley reaches the final moments of her quest.


_AN: I don't usually do this on here, but I feel a little bit of context is necessary for Sirris being here. As evidenced by my previous stories, this series strays a bit from the story of the game; this is one of those instances. I plan on writing side stories about several NPCs in the game, with Sirris being one of those to help explain why Sirris is here. I hope you enjoy the story._

* * *

Ilanya's body heaves as she tries to regain her breath, looking down at the dissipating form of the Soul of Cinder with an expression of both triumph and exhaustion. The battle has been long and hard, and it has cost her all of her Estus, but she has finally felled the last foe that's stood in her way on her journey, and now she has just one more task to do.

She must Link the First Flame.

However, as she's granted access to the bonfire that will let her do so, she instead looks back and rushes over to the one who was fighting the deity with her.

Her companion is injured quite a great deal, and has been rendered unconscious thanks to the battle. Thinking fast, Ilanya pulls out her talisman and casts Soothing Sunlight on both herself and her companion, greatly alleviating the wounds they both bear.

"C'mon, wake up..." Ilanya says in a hushed, pleading whisper. "We didn't come all this way for either of us to meet our end here..."

As if to answer her prayers, Sirris slowly awakens, blinking the weariness out of her eyes as she does so. She attempts to sit up, but Ilanya stops her, as she does so too fast and ends up aggravating one of the still-healing wounds she's sustained.

"Not too fast, love..." Ilanya says, gently helping Sirris sit up and holding her.

"Are we victorious...?" Sirris asks, looking up at Ilanya with tired, pained eyes.

"We are..."

"Then...nothing else stands in our path..." Sirris heaves a little sigh of relief. "Have you called upon the Fire Keeper?"

Shaking her head, Ilanya says, "Not yet. You were of far greater importance to me."

This makes Sirris give a little chuckle that almost causes Ilanya to swoon.

"You truly do look out for me, my heart," Sirris says, bringing a hand to Ilanya's cheek, and Ilanya places her own over it.

"I promised I would. I will never relent on that," Ilanya says, smiling warmly.

"And I believe you with every fiber of my being."

The two share a tender kiss, a brief respite from the very important task that lies ahead for Ilanya.

"Now," says Sirris as soon as the kiss breaks, "call forth the Fire Keeper that we may make our decision."

Ilanya nods and stands again, knowing Sirris is well enough now to sit up on her own, and heads over to the summon sign that she finds adjacent to the First Flame's bonfire. She closes her eyes and takes a deep breath, then holds her hand over the sign.

Immediately, it begins to glow, and then it fades as the Fire Keeper rises from it. She adjusts her crown so that she can clearly see Ilanya, the eyes she's inherited from the Dark shrine giving her the ability to do so.

"I see thou art serious about considering a world without Fire," she says, her tone neither accusatory nor surprised.

Ilanya just nods.

"'Tis thy choice, Ashen One. None can make it for thee."

"Is it _worth_ it, though? What do any of us gain from letting the First Flame fade?" Ilanya asks. She's merely postulating here; she's strongly considering letting it do so, especially after witnessing the end of the world.

"It would allow for this world to finally heal and experience true rebirth," Sirris says, having risen and come to Ilanya's side.

Ilanya nods again, saying, "Prince Lothric revealed much to me in our battle. He told me what he'd learned from his mentor, which was that the First Flame is in such a pitiful state because of how many times it's been Linked over thousands and thousands of years. It's so weak that it requires many past Lords to Link it in conjunction with the current one. That's how we got here in the first place, and I don't think it'd be good to prolong the suffering of our world, to continue an endless cycle that does nothing but put off the inevitable, what should have happened during the First Age."

Ilanya feels an immense pang of guilt and remorse from within the depths of her soul as she says this. She can tell right away that the cause of this sensation is Gwyndolin, whose presence she has felt throughout the rest of her journey following the events in Anor Londo.

Evidently, his feelings cause her to make an outward display of emotion, as Sirris places a hand on her shoulder and looks at her with concern, asking, "What is it, my heart? What vexes you so?"

"I think...Gwyndolin is feeling guilty about having helped to perpetuate the cycle for so long," Ilanya says, placing a hand on her chest over where her soul is. "He shepherded the Humans for so long, encouraging them to Link the Flame throughout the years as necessary. After the battle with Prince Lothric, he started to rethink everything, and hearing me just now must've finally caused it to hit home."

"Master Gwyndolin..." Sirris purses her lips, hesitating. "You were only doing what your father had told you to do. Neither you nor he had any way of knowing what would happen."

"No, I had quite a clear idea as to what would happen after the first several Links, Lady Sirris," Ilanya says, acting as a mouthpiece for the fallen god that dwells within her. "This world would fall to the curse faster each time, and the Flame would fade just as fast. Mine endeavors and machinations revealed to me that the world could never heal as effectively as each prior Link. And yet, I ignored this, made mineself blind to it, continued to shepherd thy kind to act as Kindling. In the end, I wrought absolutely naught but quicker pain and chaos for all living creatures. 'Twas all simply to keep the legacy of mine father alive, some selfish, vain attempt to prolong the glory days of yore which had long since died out.

"Thou hast every reason to be upset with me. Thou dost not need to placate me with falsehoods to spare mine feelings from what is already known to me. Mine regrets are many, but this is the biggest among them, and I have no discernible means to correct these grievous errors other than to encourage thee and thy wife to let mine shameful legacy end as it should have so many millennia prior."

Gwyndolin's words now finally seem to change their focus to his host. "Ilanya...thou didst not fail me. 'Twas I who failed thee. Please, grant mine greedy soul this one last request and let the Flame fade."

And then, he speaks to them no more.

Ilanya shakes her head as she regains cognizance of the world around her, her face etched with sadness. It is not just Gwyndolin's, but her own, as well. She feels bad that Gwyndolin feels this way about himself, though she supposes she can understand it all the same. She just hopes that he can get some sort of closure from the fading of the Flame.

Then, the Fire Keeper, who has been quiet this whole time, asks, "Ashen One, hast thou made a decision?"

Ilanya turns to face her, her gaze steely and determined.

Then, she nods.

With a nod in return, the Fire Keeper approaches the bonfire and takes from it a small ember to keep within herself as the First Flame fades.

Sirris reaches for Ilanya's hand, which she takes in her own. The two of them walk up to the Fire Keeper, who is watching the First Flame continue to fade. She has since taken the ember into her soul, where she intends to keep it until the day another Flame ignites, however far away that might be.

Then, Ilanya offers her her other hand, which, after a brief hesitation, the Fire Keeper takes and holds.

Together, the three of them watch as the First Flame finally begins to die for the last time.

"The First Flame quickly fades," the Fire Keeper says. "Darkness will shortly settle. But, one day, tiny flames will dance across the darkness. Like embers, Linked by Lords past."

Ilanya reflects back on her entire journey in these brief moments, her mind highlighting some of the most grueling moments and epic victories. She thinks about how relieved she was to be released from the clutches of the Abyss after sending High Lord Wolnir to the fate he had long avoided. She remembers the exhilaration she felt after slaying the Deacons of the Deep, followed by the immense disappointment she experienced right after when she realized Aldrich had left.

She remembers the agony of watching Gwyndolin die right in front of her, slain by her hand at his urging.

The most prominent moment that stands out to her is her confession to Sirris, and the revelation that her beloved felt the same way. It was a moment of multiple emotions, but the most prevalent one was sheer joy, and love.

What comes next, none of them can possibly know. Whether they will survive the entirety of the Age of Dark is a mystery; as to how long it will actually last is another. What dangers they might face, what triumphs and failures might await them, where they will go next once the Age of Dark finally settles in are all unknown to them.

But Ilanya knows that, as long as she has her wife, along with one of her best friends, by her side, she will be okay regardless of what comes next.

All of this comes to her just as the First Flame finally dies.

In the quiet that follows, the Fire Keeper asks, "Ashen One, hearest thou my voice still?"

Ilanya smiles and grips the Fire Keeper's hand in response.

Together, the three of them enter the Age of Man and prepare to face whatever may come their way.

They will not falter.

* * *

" _And so, the cycle finally comes to an end._

" _But does it_ truly?

" _What if the very nature of the world itself is cyclical?_

" _Who is to say that, one day, these events will not play out once again?_

" _I, for one, await the world's answer..._

" _For I have nothing but time."_


End file.
